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Then-Cassius Clay is Born
Muhammad Ali is born Cassius Clay Junior in Louisville, Kentucky, to Odessa Grady Clay (mother) and Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (father). -
Begins boxing career
12-year-old Cassius Clay begins his amateur boxing career after his red-and-white Schwinn bike is stolen in Downtown Louisville. -
Clay wins gold at Olympics, turns pro
"At 18, Clay qualified for the Olympics in Rome. He charmed the world media and proved popular among his fellow athletes. In the ring, Ali won gold as a light-heavyweight. Clay was famously proud of his medal, wearing it constantly during his stay in Italy and on his return to the United States."
-BBC He later won his first professional bout, incorporating his trademark unorthodox style and immense confidence in his speed and agility, leaning back to avoid punches, and leaving his guard down. -
"The Greatest"
Up next was world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston. Clay used deft footwork and impressive hand speed to outpace his opponent, Sonny Liston, inflicting cuts under Liston’s eyes. After the sixth round, Liston retired of an injured shoulder, and young Clay had beaten the 7:1 odds to become heavyweight champion of the world. -
Muhammad Ali is Born
After defeating Liston, Clay publicly acknowledged he was a member of the Nation of Islam.
In March, he was given the name Muhammad Ali by his spiritual mentor, and The Nation's leader, Elijah Muhammad. Ali accepted the group's controversial doctrine, including a call for apartheid between the races. It made him a pariah in some circles but, for many, he was a symbol of black pride, refusing to play the role of the 'compliant negro' in order to gain acceptance from the white establishment.
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Opposing the Vietnam War
As the Vietnam War escalted, Ali received a notice drafting him into the US Army. His next fight would be in a courtroom, rather than a boxing ring.
Ali ultimately refused induction into the military due to his religious beliefs, as well as the mistreatment of black Americans. "He refused to co-operate with the US government in oppressing another race of people." -BBC He was stripped of his championship title, fined $10,000 and sentenced to five years in prison, convicted of draft evasion. -
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Banned From Boxing
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Ali's Conviction is Overturned
On June 28, 1971, the Supreme Court of the United States in "Clay v. United States" overturned Ali's conviction by a unanimous 8–0 decision. Since the Appeal Board gave no reason for the denial of a conscientious objector exemption to Ali, it was impossible to find him guilty based off of the three basic tests for conscientious objector status offered in the Justice Department's brief that the Appeals Board relied on. -
"The Rumble in the Jungle"
Ali had a chance to reclaim his title in Zaire against a new world champion: the "hard-hitting" heavyweight George Foreman.
As in his previous championship fight, Ali entered the ring as a 3-to-1 underdog. However, in front of a massive 80,000 fans, he unveiled his newest tactic – the ‘rope-a-dope’. In round eight, Ali launched a powerful combination that knocked the champion to the canvas. "Oh my God," said BBC commentator Harry Carpenter, "he's won the world title back at 32.” -
Retirement from Boxing
After the "Thrilla in Manila," where Muhammad Ali defended his title by defeating closest rival, Joe Frazier. Six fights later to defend his title, Ali lost to the underdog, Leon Spinks.
In September 1978, 7 months after the loss, he defeated Spinks in a rematch to claim the heavyweight crown for an unprecedented third time.
Ali's last fight came against Larry Holmes, where his trainer pulled him out after the 10 rounds. He retired permanently at age 40 with a record of 56 wins and five losses. -
A new fight
In the early 1980s, Ali developed noticeable tremors and slurs in his speech. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's, in which Ali's doctors, including Dr. Stanley Fahn, linked to the repeated blows to the head suffered during his boxing career. -
1996 Summer Olympics
In the summer of 1996, Muhammad Ali lit the Olympic flame in Atlanta, trembling from his Parkinson's Disease.
This initiated a worldwide outpouring of love, "reaffirming his status as an iconic symbol of tolerance, understanding, and courage," as worded by BBC. -
Final Public Appearance
"At the 2012 Olympics in London, Ali was designated as an honorary flag bearer. Although his frail physical condition prevented him from carrying the flag, he stood for part of the ceremony with the support of his wife, Lonnie. Ali's appearance was rapturously received by fans in the packed stadium and around the world. It was a fitting tribute to one of the greats of sporting history whose remarkable life transcended the ropes of the boxing ring." -BBC -
Muhammad Ali dies
Ali was hospitalized in Scottsdale on June 2, 2016, with a respiratory illness. "Though his condition was initially described as 'fair', it worsened and he died the following day, at the age of 74, from septic shock," according to CNN.
Although Muhammad Ali is not with us today, his impact is still alive and thriving in history.
"A cultural icon, Ali’s passion, skill, intelligence, and wit gave him a global appeal unmatched by few, if any, other sporting figures and inspired millions." -BBC
